Multiaddress remote control of vehicular accessories without microprocessors

Abstract

A multiaddress control system for remotely controlling accessories in a vehicle utilizes a simple encoder and decoders to perform functions previously performed by microprocessors and bus drivers. A transmitter station has an encoder for station addresses and commands that are received from manual switches. The addresses and commands are sent to all of the receiver stations simultaneously on a two-wire common signal bus. The receiver that has been addressed accepts the command and acts upon it. Every word is transmitted twice, and the receivers compare the two transmitted words. Only if the words match does an addressed receiver carry out the command.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A multiaddress control system for one-way communication within a vehicle from a transmitter station to at least two receiver stations for remote control of power accessories, comprising: an electrical power source in said vehicle for powering said power accessories;   a two-conductor power main system connected from said power source to each of said transmitter and receiver stations for powering said transmitter and receiver stations and their respective accessories;   a two-wire control communication bus for interconnecting said transmitter station with each of said receiver stations;   a plurality of switch means (34, 32) at said transmitter station for producing switch signals intended for controlling respective designated accessories at first and second ones of said at-least-two receiver stations;   an encoder at said transmitter station, for receiving said switch signals from said switch means and encoding said switch signals to provide signals for transmission via said communication bus to said first and second receiver stations, said encoder and said switch means being the only transmission apparatus at said transmitter station for remote control of said designated accessories;   a first decoder at said first receiver station for receiving said signals of said communication bus, said first decoder being the only receiving apparatus at said first receiver station for remote control by said transmitter of respective accessories at said first receiver station;   a second decoder at said second receiver station for simultaneously receiving said signals of said communication bus, said second decoder being the only receiving apparatus at said second receiver station for remote control by said transmitter of respective accessories at said second receiver station;   said encoder comprising means for encoding to provide said signals for transmission to said first and second receiver stations in the form of receiver-station addresses and designated-accessory commands, one receiver-station address and one designated-accessory command at a time, one of said decoders recognizing its address and executing the corresponding designated-accessory command;   communication means connecting said first and second decoders to corresponding power accessories at said first and second receiver stations respectively, for carrying signals from the decoders to the respective designated accessories for executing said corresponding designated-accessory commands;   said first and second decoders comprising means for utilizing power from said power main system to drive the designated accessory in response to said corresponding designated-accessory command;   said designated accessories comprising a first power window and first power door lock at said first receiver station and a second power window and second power door lock at said second receiver station, and   said encoder and said first and second decoders operating in accordance with a protocol for remote control of said power windows and power door locks.   
     
     
       2. A multiaddress control system as in claim 1 and wherein: said accessories further comprise at least one each of power mirrors and power seats, and   said system further comprises a power-seat receiver station for said power seat, having a decoder and being electrically connected with said power source via said power main system and with said communication bus;   said switch means at said transmitter station further comprising a switch for controlling each of said power mirror and said power seat by providing mirror and seat switch signals, and   said encoder at said transmitter station further comprising means for encoding said switch signals intended for controlling respective designated accessories at said power-seat receiving station;   communication means connecting said power-seat decoder to corresponding power accessories at said power-seat receiver station, for carrying signals from said power-seat decoder to respective designated accessories for executing said corresponding designated-accessory commands;   said power-seat decoder and said first and second decoders operating in accordance with a protocol for remote control also of said power mirror and power seat;   said power-seat decoder being the only receiving apparatus at said power-seat receiving station for receiving remote-control commands from said encoder.   
     
     
       3. A multiaddress control system in a vehicle for one-way-communication remote control of power-driven accessories at spaced-apart stations defined hereinbelow, comprising: (a) an electrical power source on the vehicle for providing power to said spaced-apart stations and accessories;   (b) a common power main system connected to carry power from said electrical power source to said spaced-apart stations;   (c) a common two-wire signal bus connected to carry control signals to said spaced-apart stations;   (d) a transmitter station including transmitter-station manual switch means for initiating switch signals for controlling a plurality of accessories associated with receiver stations defined hereinbelow;   first control-circuit means (32) connected to receive said switch signals from said transmitter-station manual switch means and responsive thereto to issue corresponding signals;   encoder means receiving said corresponding signals issued from said first control-circuit means, for providing said control signals to said signal bus for transmission from said transmitter station to said receiver stations defined hereinbelow, each of said remote-control signals comprising an address signal and a command signal;     (e) a first receiver station including at least one first-receiver-station accessory;   first decoder means receiving said remote-control signals from said signal bus, for decoding said remote-control signals and providing respective first decoded signals;   a first means (46) connected with said first decoder means for assigning a predetermined address to said first decoder means to be responsive only to address signals and commands corresponding to said first decoder means;   said first decoder means and said first means for assigning an address being the only apparatus at said first receiver station for receiving said signals from said signal bus;   first remote-control-circuit means (44) connected for receiving said respective first decoded signals from said first decoder means and remotely controlling said first-receiver-station accessory;   at least one first-receiver-station manual switch for locally controlling said first-receiver-station accessory, at least one of said receiver-station accessories at said first receiver station being controllable by at least one of said transmitter-station manual switch means and also by a respective one of said first-receiver-station manual switch means;     (f) at least one additional receiver station including: at least one additional-receiver-station accessory;   additional decoder means receiving said remote-control signals from said signal bus, for decoding said remote-control signals and providing respective additional decoded signals;   additional means connected with said additional decoder means for assigning a predetermined address to said additional decoder means to be responsive only to address signals and command signals corresponding to said additional decoder means;   said additional decoder means and said addition means for assigning an address being the only apparatus at said additional receiver station for receiving said remote-control signals from said signal bus;   additional remote-control-circuit means connected for receiving respective additional decoded signals from said additional decoder means and remotely controlling said additional-receiver-station accessory;   at least one additional manual switch for locally controlling said additional-receiver-station accessory, at least one of said receiver-station accessories at said additional receiver station being controllable by at least one of said transmitter-station manual switch means and also by a respective one of said additional manual switches at said additional receiver station.